


Of Snowstorms and Men (Bucky AU One-shot)

by avengerofyourheart



Category: Alternate Universe - Fandom, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Babysitters, Alternate Universe - Nanny, Blizzards & Snowstorms, Bucky is a father, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Sharing a Bed, Single Parents, trope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-12-04 09:42:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11552526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avengerofyourheart/pseuds/avengerofyourheart
Summary: The ultimate combination of Tropes: Hot single dad hires a broke babysitter who happens to need a date to their ex's wedding and the two get stuck in a snow storm on the drive up there and have to cuddle in the small, tight backseat to keep warm





	Of Snowstorms and Men (Bucky AU One-shot)

**Three Weeks Ago:**

“No offense I hope, but…you seem a bit older than most of the other applicants,” said the man who sat before you.

“None taken, I promise. Trust me, I never thought I’d be applying for a nanny job in my late 20s because I can’t get a job even with a Master’s degree,” you replied, laughing nervously.

“Understood,” he nodded. “So, what makes you a good fit for this position, Ms. (Y/L/N)?” he asked, tapping a pen lazily on your resume before him.

“Um…I mean, I love kids. I grew up babysitting throughout my whole neighborhood. I have a lot of nieces and nephews, and we all know I’m the favorite aunt. I’m responsible, hard working, I learn quickly, and I can be available any time you need,” you finished with a smile, trying to exude confidence.

The man leveled you with the steady gaze of his stormy-grey eyes curtained with long, dark lashes. He ran a hand through his longish chestnut hair and sat forward on the couch, placing your resume on the coffee table.

“Well, I think I’ve learned as much as I need about you. Do you have any questions regarding the position?” he asked.

“Well…I ask this only out of respect for you and the child, but what is the current situation? Is there going to be shared custody I should know about? Anyone else who will be caring for her? I wouldn’t want to step on any toes…” you trailed off, picking at the hem of your skirt.

“That is a valid question, so I’ll tell you. Tara’s mother is no longer in the picture. In a few weeks, our divorce will be final and Tara will be all mine. So, no custody battle. Her previous nanny was with us for almost 2 years after my wife left, but she was an older woman and the bigger and more rambunctious Tara got, the harder it was to care for her. A 3-year-old can wear out anyone, let alone a 70-year-old woman with arthritis. As you can imagine, Tara was attached and it’s difficult to find a good replacement.”

“I understand,” you stated. “Any questions you have for me, I’m an open book.”

He shifted in his seat. “I will confess, I did glance at your social media upon receiving your resume.”

“Oh,” you said, paling slightly and wracking your brain for anything incriminating or embarrassing for him to find.

“Don’t worry, there was nothing that put me off from interviewing you. In fact, you seem very genuine and all that you seem online and in person. A rare quality,” he said with a smile, almost impressed.

“Well, thank you, Mr. Barnes.”

“Would you like to meet Tara? I feel that you would be a good fit, but she gets the last word. If you two get along, I think we can proceed with the proper paperwork,” he declared, standing on the last word as he button his suit jacket over his muscular torso.

You tore your eyes away from him reluctantly and stood as well. “I would love to.”

**Now:**

I am not attracted to my employer. I am not attracted to my employer. I am not attracted to my employer. You continued your daily mantra as you turned onto the street where the Barnes’ house resided and parked out front. This job turned out to be a godsend. You truly enjoyed your time with little Tara, the money was good, and Mr. Barnes was a great boss. You really really didn’t want to screw it up with feelings.

It was just a crush and you needed to get over it. Besides, you knew that your lonely heart had less to do with your boss and more to do with what was happening elsewhere this evening. You took one last glance at the discarded invitation still resting on the passenger’s seat before taking a deep breath, exiting your car and bundling your scarf closer around you. The air was frigid as you walked up the step and knocked.

The door swung open to reveal Mr. Barnes wearing sweats and a t-shirt, looking possibly even more handsome than in his usual suit and tie. “Y/N.”

“Hi, Mr. Barnes. I, um…am I still working tonight? I though you had a dinner to get to…” you spoke, suddenly confused.

“Did you not get my message? Change of plans.”

Fishing your phone out of your coat pocket, you saw that you’d left it on airplane mode to help it charge faster. Switching service back on, you saw the string of texts appear on the screen. “Oh. No, I didn’t.”

“Here, come in out of the cold,” he offered, opening the door wider and you stepped inside. “Yes, I was supposed to have dinner with a client, but it fell through and Tara is with her grandparents tonight, so you have the evening off.”

“Damn,” you replied as your face fell.

“I thought you’d be pleased to have a Friday night off. Everything alright?” he asked with concern.

“It’s nothing. I’ll leave you to your free evening, sorry for interrupting,” you said, heading for the door.

“No, please, Y/N. Something is clearly wrong. Is there anything I can do?” he offered as you turned back toward him.

“It’s silly, really,” you began. “I was supposed to go to a wedding reception tonight but I was using work as an excuse and now technically I could still go, but I don’t have a date and I really don’t want to go, especially alone,” you blurted out quickly.

“I see,” he replied, stuffing hand in his sweatpants pockets. “Who’s getting married?”

“My ex. To the girl he cheated on me with,” you admitted, dropping your head in your hands.

“Seriously? He sent you an invitation? Why would he do that?” he asked, stunned.

“Because he’s a dick,” you blurted again, then clapping a hand over your mouth. “I’m sorry, I…”

But Mr. Barnes just burst out in laughter, his handsome face brightening the whole room. You tried not to feel that flame in your chest, but there it was.

“I really don’t want to ruin your evening with my drama, so I’ll just stay home and…”

“I’ll go with you,” he interrupted.

You stood there, mouth open before your brain caught up. “What?”

“As your date. I’ll go with you,” Mr. Barnes shrugged as if it was nothing.

“Oh, no, you really don’t have to do that. It’s way too much to ask.”

“You didn’t ask, I’m offering,” he stated. “All I had planned was me, myself, and Netflix so honestly, I don’t mind. Besides, you’ve been so amazing throughout this transition with Tara. I’d love to return the favor.”

“Um. Okay,” you answered, feeling grateful and suddenly nervous. Mr. Barnes had always been very respectful and professional, so although you appreciated his offer as your date, it would definitely shift things between you. “One thing, though. Could you…not be my boss tonight? What I mean is, could we not mention that I work for you? Just, I don’t know…pretend to be my boyfriend or something? I know it’s a lot, but…”

“No, it’s fine. I understand the circumstances and you are welcome to use me however you would like,” he said, then realizing how that phrase could be misconstrued as you both chuckled nervously. “I just meant that I’d be happy to be your date in any capacity.”

“Great,” you smiled. “I can drive. It’s about 40 minutes north.”

“That’s perfect because I told Tara’s grandparents that they could borrow my car with the carseat since I thought I would be staying home. So, do you want to go change and come pick me up in about and hour?” he proposed.

“Sounds like a plan,” you replied before heading back out into the cold. “Thank you again, Mr. Barnes.”

“It’s honestly my pleasure. And please, call me Bucky.”

____________

You rang the doorbell right on time and the door swung open, now revealing the handsome brunet in a perfectly tailored dark grey suit with a white shirt unbuttoned just enough to reveal a tanned collar bone and a few chest hairs.

“Y/N, come on in,” he said with a wide smile.

You stepped inside, a few flutters beginning in your stomach. Although you knew it wasn’t a real date, the nerves felt very similar.

“Could I see your dress?” he asked, throwing you off guard.

“What?”

“I thought I could coordinate my tie with your dress. We don’t want to clash, do we?” he teased with a wink.

You felt the heat in your face as you unbuttoned your long wool coat and revealed the deep maroon dress that hugged you in just the right places. You chose it specifically because of the confidence it always gave you, which you needed especially tonight.

“Wow. You look stunning, Y/N,” he spoke earnestly, meeting your eye. “I think I know just the tie. I’ll be right back.”

He lightly jogged up the stairs to the right of the foyer as you tried not to notice the way his suit pants hugged his shapely behind just right. And failed.

Ten minutes later, you were entering the freeway with Bucky in the passenger seat as a few snowflakes landed on your windshield. There was light conversation about what music to listen to and you also gave him a rundown on who will mostly likely be there with information he may need to know about you. You also got your story straight about how you met and how long you had been dating.

“May I ask you something,Y/N?”

“Of course, anything,” you replied, keeping your eyes on the road as the snow began to fall more heavily.

“Were you truly unable to find a date for tonight? I find that difficult to believe. You’re a beautiful, kind, intelligent woman and anyone would be lucky to have you,” he said plainly as you felt his eyes on you.

Feeling the heat in your face again, you chanced a look his way before speaking. “Do you really mean that?”

“Absolutely,” he said without hesitation.

“Well, thank you, first of all Mr. Bar…Bucky. And I don’t know, I just haven’t really found anyone who I’m comfortable enough with to bring to an already uncomfortable situation. Honestly, I don’t know many guys my age who could handle just going to a wedding without freaking out. Why is it that so many guys think attending a wedding makes every girl itching for a ring on their finger? I mean, I think about it sometimes, but I have other goals and anyway, what makes them think I would choose them? It’s ridiculous.”

“Because they’re guys, not men.”

You grinned at that. “Have you seen the movie “Say Anything?” “

He smiled back. “Yes. That’s exactly what I meant. ‘Don’t be a guy, the world is full of guys…’ “

“ ‘…be a man.’ “ you both finished the famous quote together as he held your gaze. A little too long, it would seem because when you fixed your gaze back on the road there were a pair of headlights directly ahead.

You screamed and braked, turning the wheel hard to the right as you barely missed the other car but it sent your vehicle into a snow embankment on the side of the road where you came to a stop. Breathing hard, you felt the adrenaline pulsing in your body. As your heart rate slowed, you released your grip on the wheel and noticed Bucky’s hand on your stomach, as if to hold you back from impact. His other hand was on the dashboard as his wide eyes met yours, letting you both calm down from your scare.

He spoke first. “Are you alright?”

You nodded, “I think so. Are you?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” he replied as he removed his hand from you, the spot suddenly feeling cold without his touch. “Sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking and I could have killed us both for a stupid wedding and I dragged you into it, this is all my fault, I…”

“Hey, hey, hey,” he interrupted your frantic rant and got your attention by placing a hand on either side of your face so you would meet his eye. “It wasn’t your fault, they drifted into our lane. We’re both fine, it’s okay. Just breathe.”

You followed his direction, focusing on the rise and fall of your chest to mirror his.

“Better?”

You nodded, again feeling the loss of heat as he removed his hands.

“I’m going to assess the damage and see if I can push us out. Just stay in the car, okay?”

Another nod, which seemed to be all you could manage at the moment. He was only gone a few minutes and when he returned, the snow had collected in his hair like a halo, his cheeks tinted pink from the cold.

“We’re pretty stuck. I’ll call for a tow truck but they might have to wait until the roads are clear,” he said while reaching for his phone. After completing the call, he let out a sigh and turned your way. “We’ll have to keep warm while we wait and I wouldn’t advise keeping the engine on. Do you have any blankets? Water? Food? We don’t know how long it will take.”

“Yes. I have all of that in my trunk, I can grab them. “

“No, let me. You in those heels in the snow is just an accident waiting to happen,” he said with a smile, leaving shortly again.

While he was gone, you considered your situation. Truthfully, if you were going to be stuck here with anyone, you were grateful it was him. Kicking off your uncomfortable heels, you tucked your feet under the hem of your coat. Bucky returned with arms full as he shivered from the cold.

“I only found one blanket and the water is frozen, but I think the granola bars will help for a while and the water will melt hopefully,” he said.

“Only one blanket? I swear I had more…oh, right. I think I took one out to build a blanket fort with Tara. It must be at your home,” you smiled sheepishly.

“You know, I do have blankets,” he stated.

“Yeah, I figured, but I didn’t know if you’d mind my snooping around to find them,” you shrugged.

“I don’t mind,” he replied firmly, holding your gaze once again. “Well, it looks like we are sharing and body heat helps most, so…”

You watched in awe as he turned his body and crawled over the middle consul between the front seats and slid into the back seat. He gestured for you to follow.

“Come on. I don’t bite,” he said with a sly grin.

So you followed, trying to climb/crawl/slide in your dress into the back seat. He grasped your hips and helped once the top half of your body was free. You landed beside him, feeling his arms around you with faces inches apart. Reluctantly, you pulled away and adjusted in your seat, pulling your coat tight around you. He placed the blanket on you both of your laps and tucked it around you, making sure you both had gloves to wear.

Once you were comfortable, you asked, “Can I as you a question now?”

“You may.”

“How could she possibly let you go?”

“Tara’s mother?” he asked, to which you nodded. “Well, we met in college and got married while I was still in law school. We didn’t talk much about having kids, but when she got pregnant, she seemed excited. I know I was. I always wanted kids and thought she did, too. I guess I shouldn’t have assumed because after Tara was born, it seemed like she didn’t have the strongest maternal instincts. I figured it came from her mom, who wasn’t the warmest person, but a while after Tara’s first birthday, she told me she wasn’t meant to be a mom. It broke my heart, but mostly for Tara’s sake. If she had told me at any point beforehand that she didn’t want a baby, I would have respected her decision. In the end, she didn’t just leave, I let her go. It was best for all three of us and now it’s just me and the little tyke. And you. I’m so glad Tara has you.”

Tears had filled your eyes as you heard his story, amazed at this wonderful man and father who truly had transcended from the title of “guy”. You now understood. It wasn’t about him being married or having children. It was about taking responsibility and sacrificing for the greater good.

“She’s an idiot,” you said, with a teary smile.

“So is he,” he replied, tilting his head to the road ahead in the direction of the wedding reception you had completely forgotten about by now.

The moment crackled with the electricity between you, neither letting their gaze waiver. Bucky inched closer and then paused for you to meet him the rest of the way, your lips pressed against his. He shifted in his seat to face you and you did the same, sliding a gloved hand to the back of his neck pulling him closer. Suddenly the cold didn’t bother you so much as you both shed a few layers. You found yourself lying on the bench seat with Bucky above you, pulling away to met your eyes as he paused his movement.

“Is this truly what you want?” he asked, lips swollen from your kisses and hair tousled from your fingers lost in it.

“Only if you do,” you said breathlessly.

He just smiled, brushing a thumb across your cheekbone as he lowered his lips down to meet yours.

**Hours later:**

A knocking on the window startled you both from sleep. Sitting up, Bucky wiped away condensation from the inside of the window to see the tow truck man had arrived. You looked around to see the storm had ended and the road cleared. You both had slept tangled in each other with a pile of clothing, blankets, and coats to keep you warm along with your shared body heat. Bucky lowered the window and spoke to the man.

“Hello. Thank you for coming. We’ll be out in a moment,” Bucky said as he buttoned his shirt.

“I was just hoping you two would survive the night, but I guess you found a way to keep warm, eh?” he asked with a wink, heat rising in your face as you pulled the strap of your dress back onto your shoulder.

Bucky raised the window and turned toward you. The moment could have been awkward, but you only saw adoration in his eyes which you hoped he could also see in yours. He pulled you in for a tender, chaste kiss before helping you find all of your clothing. Once dressed, Bucky grasped your hand in his and pressed it to his lips.

“Thank you for the invite, I enjoyed the wedding reception,” he joked with a grin.

You laughed in return. “Thank you for coming with me. Best reception I’ve ever not attended.”

He climbed out first and then came around to your door to help you out as you walked arm in arm into the winter wonderland.


End file.
